Insights
From our staff, and from the industry. Practical writing on connectivity, voice, managed networks, and AI, plus outside reading by vertical.
From our staff
Company writing, two angles in each vertical. K-12 and higher education are also on the education briefing.
Showing staff writing tagged .
AI · Connectivity
Restaurant Ordering Tech: Phones, AI Order-Taking and POS Integration
Phone ordering, AI order-taking, and the POS connection are one buying decision, not three.
Vlogic Advisors Desk
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Connectivity
The Network Under the Restaurant
Wi-Fi, ordering control, and payments sit under every digital guest channel.
Vlogic Advisors Infrastructure Desk
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Connectivity
The Network Under the Convenience Store
Pumps, registers, loyalty, and the store phone share one connection.
Vlogic Advisors Infrastructure Desk
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AI · Connectivity
Checkout, Loyalty, and AI at the Convenience Store
Voice ordering, self-checkout, and loyalty only work when the systems underneath already agree.
Vlogic Advisors Desk
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Connectivity · Data
Technology and Trucking: Fixing the Fragmented Fleet Network
Yards, circuits, and compliance systems are often a patchwork. Start with one inventory.
Vlogic Advisors Infrastructure Desk
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Connectivity · Data
When Fleet Systems Change Hands
Dispatch, telematics, and the back office can change owner without a construction crew.
Vlogic Advisors Infrastructure Desk
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AI · Data
A Roadmap for Agency Technology
Modernizing and adopting AI in the same cycle still needs owners and stop conditions.
Vlogic Advisors Desk
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Security · Connectivity
Public Payments and the Vendor in the Middle
The agency on the bill is not always the company that can take the payment.
Vlogic Advisors Infrastructure Desk
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Connectivity
School Connectivity When E-rate Is a Budget Line
Model the connection to the building and the network inside it under more than one budget.
Vlogic Advisors Infrastructure Desk
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Security
Cyber Readiness When a District Cannot Add People
Incidents, phishing, and delayed staffing show up together when the team stays small.
Vlogic Advisors Desk
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Security · Data
When a Campus Platform Changes Hands
Student, learning, and admissions systems can change hands without the campus choosing it.
Vlogic Advisors Desk
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AI
Where a Campus Should Point AI First
Point a tool at a system you can still run if that platform goes offline.
Vlogic Advisors Desk
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Connectivity · Security
NaaS vs. SD-WAN: What Each Does, and How to Choose
One name describes what the network does. The other describes how you buy and run it.
Vlogic Advisors Infrastructure Desk
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Connectivity
NaaS or a Managed Network: What to Compare Before You Sign
Ownership, price, lock-in, and support are the comparison. The label is not.
Vlogic Advisors Infrastructure Desk
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Connectivity
Copper and DSL Are Going Away: Check Your Alarms, Fax, Elevators and POS Lines
Legacy lines retire on carrier schedules. Inventory the ones the business still depends on.
Vlogic Advisors Infrastructure Desk
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AI
A Practical Checklist for Rolling Out AI in a Small or Mid-Sized Business
Start with one problem, a measure, and a person who can turn the tool off.
Vlogic Advisors Desk
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From the industry
Outside reads. Each note is ours. The card credits the outlet and the author, and opens the original in a new tab. K-12 and higher education are repeated on the education briefing.
No industry reads match those filters.
Newest first
NaaS
NaaS hasn't lived up to the hype. Is it still worth it?
Network World · Maria Korolov · Nov 2, 2026
Topic: Networks and connectivity
NaaS has grown more slowly than forecast as buyers weigh cost and lock-in.
Read at Network World
NaaS
AI networking spending grows, but enterprise network readiness lags
Network World · Sean Michael Kerner · Nov 2, 2026
Topic: AI
AI infrastructure spend is outrunning network automation, maturity, and skills.
Read at Network World
Restaurants & QSR
Why the DoorDash-Instacart deal is bad news for restaurants
Restaurant Business · Jonathan Maze · Oct 30, 2026
Topic: M&A and technology integration
A delivery mega-deal can move ordering, data, and payments further from the operator.
Read at Restaurant Business
Government
Survey Outlines Government's Progress on Modernization, AI
Government Technology · Ben Miller · Oct 29, 2026
Topic: Falling behind on technology
State and local leaders are modernizing older systems and adopting AI, with real barriers.
Read at Government Technology
Government
Aspen Institute warns states need funding to strengthen EBT security
StateScoop · Sophia Fox-Sowell · Oct 29, 2026
Topic: Payments
Benefit-card fraud means hardening the card, the network, and the monitoring together.
Read at StateScoop
Government
Report: Over 42 million records exposed by local government technology platform for civic engagement
StateScoop · Keely Quinlan · Oct 29, 2026
Topic: Falling behind on technology
A civic platform exposed millions of files, so vendor review belongs in the contract.
Read at StateScoop
Convenience store
RaceTrac, Weigel's and Kwik Trip executives say the key to loyalty is cutting through complexity
CSP Daily News · Diane Adam · Oct 27, 2026
Topic: Challenges and successes
Loyalty apps work when they are simple and every register behaves the same way.
Read at CSP Daily News
Government
Georgia says Anthropic AI agent accessed public election data, not its voter registration system
StateScoop · Sophia Fox-Sowell · Oct 27, 2026
Topic: Challenges and successes
Agencies now have to tell AI agents reading public data apart from real attacks.
Read at StateScoop
K-12
Cybersecurity incidents hit over 50% of schools and districts in past year
K-12 Dive · Anna Merod · Oct 27, 2026
Topic: Falling behind on technology
More than half of schools and districts reported a cyber incident last year.
Read at K-12 Dive
NaaS
Cisco's partner shift: What customers should expect from their Cisco partner in the AI era
Network World · Zeus Kerravala · Oct 27, 2026
Topic: Networks and connectivity
Partners are being pushed to run outcomes, not only to sell hardware once.
Read at Network World
Convenience store
Convenience-store industry faces rising pressure, growing opportunity, NexChapter's Sebastian says
CSP Daily News · Chuck Ulie · Oct 26, 2026
Topic: Falling behind on technology
Tight margins make it worth choosing which AI and loyalty projects to fund.
Read at CSP Daily News
Government
Virginia governor orders statewide plan to address AI cyberattacks
StateScoop · Sophia Fox-Sowell · Oct 23, 2026
Topic: AI
A statewide plan for AI-enabled attacks will reach agencies on state networks.
Read at StateScoop
Restaurants & QSR
Should you build your own restaurant tech system with ChatGPT or Claude? Mostly, don't. But not always.
LinkedInLinkedIn post · Jeremy Julian · Oct 20, 2026
Topic: AI
Build-versus-buy still applies when an assistant offers to code a restaurant tool.
Read on LinkedIn
Convenience store
C-stores tap conversational AI to boost store ops
C-Store Dive · Jessica Loder · Oct 20, 2026
Topic: AI
Store assistants are only as good as the POS, inventory, and network behind them.
Read at C-Store Dive
Restaurants & QSR
How Starbucks improved service and turned its sales around
Restaurant Business · Jonathan Maze · Oct 19, 2026
Topic: Challenges and successes
That sales turnaround came from how the store runs, not from adding more AI.
Read at Restaurant Business
K-12
Educators who use AI say it frees up time to interact with students
K-12 Dive · Naaz Modan · Oct 16, 2026
Topic: AI
Teachers say AI frees time with students, but training has not kept up.
Read at K-12 Dive
Trucking
TA Services acquires 2 Texas-based businesses
Trucking Dive · Larry Avila · Oct 14, 2026
Topic: M&A and technology integration
An acquisition also merges fleets, terminals, dispatch, and back-office systems.
Read at Trucking Dive
Trucking
Accurate Transport uses AI to cut freight processing costs and improve delivery performance
FleetOwner · Seth Skydel · Oct 13, 2026
Topic: Challenges and successes
One carrier used AI on paperwork-heavy freight work without replacing core systems.
Read at FleetOwner
K-12
Ending E-rate would deal financial blow to schools, district leaders say
K-12 Dive · Anna Merod · Oct 13, 2026
Topic: Networks and connectivity
District leaders say losing E-rate would open large gaps in connectivity budgets.
Read at K-12 Dive
Trucking
The AI Summit introduces fleets to AI's potential and pitfalls
Transport Topics · Robert Braswell and Jack Legler · Oct 10, 2026
Topic: AI
Fleet leaders are sorting where AI works and where it still falls short.
Read at Transport Topics
Convenience store
How agentic payments present risk
Payments Dive · Aaron Cheiffetz · Oct 9, 2026
Topic: Payments
When an AI agent pays an order, it is unclear who carries the loss.
Read at Payments Dive
Convenience store
Strategies for AI Implementation
NACS · Noelle Riddle · Oct 9, 2026
Topic: AI
Moving AI from pilot to production still needs a person reviewing the output.
Read at NACS
Higher ed
EDUCAUSE '26: Colleges Need to Treat Vendor Risk as Institutional Risk
Government Technology · Abby Sourwine · Oct 8, 2026
Topic: Falling behind on technology
One vendor outage can take a campus down, so breach terms belong in the contract.
Read at Government Technology
Restaurants & QSR
Why restaurants face pushback, risk when integrating AI tools
Restaurant Dive · Danielle McLean · Oct 7, 2026
Topic: AI
Rushed restaurant AI has produced bad orders and pushback from staff and guests.
Read at Restaurant Dive
Convenience store
Checking In on What's New With Self-Checkout
NACS · NACS · Oct 7, 2026
Topic: Challenges and successes
Assisted checkout can shorten lines, but age checks still need a person and the POS.
Read at NACS
K-12
AI teaching systems raise new questions for school districts
TechTarget · Kinza Yasar · Oct 7, 2026
Topic: Challenges and successes
AI in the classroom also raises privacy, evidence, and contract questions.
Read at TechTarget
Higher ed
EDUCAUSE '26: AI Exposes Gaps in Data Governance
Government Technology · Abby Sourwine · Oct 7, 2026
Topic: AI
AI pays off more where data ownership, quality, and access rules are already set.
Read at Government Technology
Higher ed
EDUCAUSE '26: Rethinking IT Infrastructure Amid Budget Uncertainty
Government Technology · Abby Sourwine · Oct 6, 2026
Topic: Challenges and successes
Campus IT wants predictable infrastructure cost and a clear owner for AI value.
Read at Government Technology
Restaurants & QSR
Most operators point AI at the same question: where can we cut?
LinkedInLinkedIn post · The Restaurant Technology Guys · Oct 5, 2026
Topic: AI
Some operators point AI at recognition and service, not only at cost cuts.
Read on LinkedIn
Higher ed
Higher Ed Tech Officers Navigating “Age of Perpetual Change”
Inside Higher Ed · Kathryn Palmer · Oct 5, 2026
Topic: AI
Campus leaders rank where AI adds value and future-proofing students as top issues.
Read at Inside Higher Ed
Restaurants & QSR
How better Wi-Fi helped fuel Chili's comeback
Restaurant Business · Joe Guszkowski · Oct 2, 2026
Topic: Networks and connectivity
In-store Wi-Fi carries the POS, handhelds, kitchen screens, and any AI tool.
Read at Restaurant Business
Restaurants & QSR
I think if I'm a McDonald's franchisee this week I'm probably really angry about this AI pricing stuff
LinkedInLinkedIn post · Jonathan Maze · Oct 1, 2026
Topic: AI
The dispute is a pricing recommendation, not AI setting menu prices itself.
Read on LinkedIn
Convenience store
Toast adds fuel payments to its retail platform
C-Store Dive · Jessica Loder · Oct 1, 2026
Topic: Payments
Toast's offline mode keeps fuel and in-store payments moving if the link drops.
Read at C-Store Dive
Trucking
NMFTA warns trucking of skillful cybersecurity escalation
Transport Topics · Connor D. Wolf · Oct 1, 2026
Topic: Falling behind on technology
Cargo theft is now a cyber and fraud problem, not only a yard problem.
Read at Transport Topics
NaaS
Nobody is budgeting for agent traffic. Lumen noticed.
Light Reading · Phil Harvey · Sep 25, 2026
Topic: AI
AI agent traffic may change how much bandwidth an enterprise network must carry.
Read at Light Reading
Restaurants & QSR
Does technology reduce the cost of operating a restaurant? Not necessarily
LinkedInLinkedIn post · Jonathan Maze · Sep 24, 2026
Topic: Challenges and successes
Surveyed operators often saw no savings, or higher costs, after adding technology.
Read on LinkedIn
Trucking
Alvys acquires LoadOps customers; Optym keeps LoadAi
FreightWaves · Thomas Wasson · Sep 23, 2026
Topic: M&A and technology integration
A vendor can move carriers onto a new system when it sells the customer base.
Read at FreightWaves
Restaurants & QSR
Why fast food's drive toward 100% digital is misguided
Restaurant Business · Jonathan Maze · Aug 20, 2026
Topic: Falling behind on technology
Sending every order through an app is not automatically a better guest experience.
Read at Restaurant Business
K-12
CISA issues K-12 cybersecurity guidance as schools' risks persist
K-12 Dive · Anna Merod · Aug 14, 2026
Topic: Networks and connectivity
CISA's free guides give districts a baseline for networks and security controls.
Read at K-12 Dive